3.2.1. Evaluations
of EF descriptors
For data decomposition, 40 covariance descriptors were analyzed with 14
harmonics. Constant descriptor coefficients for size-normalized foramen
magnum outlines were a1, b1,
c1 and d1 for forty (40) Small African
Pangolins (P. tricuspis ) of various sizes, were evaluated for
size-normalized outlines, magnitude and the peculiar anisotropy of their
ellipses as depicted in tables 3-5. Elliptical descriptors demonstrated
the highest major and minor axes/2 magnitudes as well as peculiar
anisotropy in the 1st harmonics in all samples
irrespective of shapes, these values decreased generally with higher
number of harmonics. The gradient decline in values from the
1st to 7th harmonics was
characteristic to the more developed samples whereas the lesser
developed were from 8th-13th, shapes
and sizes were found more unpredictable among the latter. Descriptor
values rapidly became inferior to less than or equal to 2% of the
values of the 1st harmonics from the
5th harmonic finer details were shown by the minute
descriptor values (after the 10th) retained in the
higher harmonic orders. The third descriptor (angle of orientation of
the first EF position/ellipse) between 0.26-41ยบ could not be associated
with any particular harmonic order but common in each (Tables 3 and 4).
Elliptical anisotropy of 0.018-53.1 was constant with each harmonic but
without any harmonic order relationship (Table 5). Size normalization
results presented amplitude related profound descriptor value reduction
according to harmonics (approximate factor 1/90 to 1/67000) demonstrated
wide ontogenetic allometry. Angular orientation of major axis was also
attenuated by 1/1.08 to 1/1.009 factors.